


The Last Fearling

by ab2fsycho



Series: Why is Tea Always Gone [4]
Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Guess Who's Back, M/M, Rin is back, back again, shut up alex, tell a friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 16:47:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ab2fsycho/pseuds/ab2fsycho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They had all thought he'd died. They weren't that fortunate, apparently.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheChronicLiar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheChronicLiar/gifts), [ObsidianLace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObsidianLace/gifts), [Nichts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nichts/gifts).



> This is also gifted to a nona_evil, but her name isn't popping up.
> 
> Nichts is another individual with whom I actually discussed Rin's appearance. She gave me some awesome ideas for what he could look like.

Jack didn’t realize how much sleep he lost over Rin’s fate until he felt a familiar humming one evening. Flying over Denmark, he felt his stomach drop at the very idea that Rin could still be in existence. It was less of a sense of fear, though he knew Rin’s jealousy and how far he’d go to express it. The feeling was more reminiscent of dread. A mixture of dread and guilt. Yes, Jack felt guilty about what had happened to Rin. Should he? According to Pitch and Sera, no. According to the other Guardians, absolutely not. But he did. He understood Rin’s betrayal. It hurt, and he was angry, but he understood. Rin had felt threatened, so he reacted. It almost killed Jack, but that would’ve also killed Rin.

If Rin was still alive, did that same rule apply?

Landing in an alleyway, Jack suddenly felt incredibly uncomfortable. Glancing down at his hands, he realized he was shaking. Nervousness? Of course. It had to be. After months of having his head back under his control, he was hearing the humming of his doppelganger again. He’d forgotten how overwhelming the feeling had been initially.

The humming grew as he went deeper into the alley. That wasn’t the only noise he became aware of; there was a growing sound of muffled crying. For a moment, Jack checked to make sure he wasn’t the one sniffling. Thankfully, he wasn’t. He was hardly making any noise even as he advanced.

When he rounded the corner the humming stopped, and Jack was faced with a small boy huddled in a corner. He thought he’d been fooled, had imagined the humming and was now staring at a starving, dirt-covered orphan on the cold streets. Then the boy looked up at him and Jack saw his eyes. His breath caught in his throat.

They stared at each other, as if reinventing how they’d once perceived one another. Jack realized just how terrifying Rin truly had been in that moment. There was no question in his mind as to why the Guardians had feared him. Black hair, darkness surrounding his eyes in an almost raccoon mask, black and gold eyes, talons, skin so pale it looked gray next to Jack’s, but most of all the teeth. Thin lips barely concealed two rows of elongated fangs. Jack would probably never know what the child had looked like before Rin had taken over. All that was left of that boy was a husk corrupted by the Fearling.

Jack released the breath he had been holding when the child spoke. “You know,” he whimpered, “I’ve never actually seen what you looked like.”

Rin’s voice was shaky. Jack knew, somehow knew, that he was expecting to be attacked at any moment. And after what he’d done, it was no surprise this new Rin feared that. But Rin was stronger than Jack. At the very least, he was craftier if not stronger. Jack actually thought Rin could take him without breaking a sweat.

So why wasn’t he? Jack gulped, then asked, “Aren’t you pissed at me?”

The child’s eyes narrowed. Before Rin even spoke, Jack knew the answer was yes. “What sort of half-brained, lame-ass idea was it for you to suggest I get my own body?”

“I honestly thought that’d be easier for both of us.”

“You should’ve known I’d be hunted,” Rin argued, standing up quickly. When he was fully upright, he stumbled and wound up pressing himself against the brick wall. His knees buckled and he hissed. Jack saw then how emaciated the body Rin was inhabiting had been at the time of Rin’s possession. Underneath layers of thin, dirty clothes was a weak, bony kid who was most likely about seven or eight. Jack’s eyes actually began to tear up, his chest hurting at the thought of what had become of the child. When Rin stared back at him, the Fearling glared. “Don’t look at me like that!”

“Rin, what happened to you?” Jack asked without acknowledging the shout. “I thought you—.”

“What? Died? You’re not that lucky,” Rin responded as he shoved himself back into an upright position. “The Nightmare Man almost got himself killed, so I was being summoned back to his body to repair the damage. Clearly, I didn’t make it.”

“You were in South America. How the hell did you get to Denmark?”

“Hello! Shadow!” It was very odd hearing that much attitude coming from the mouth of a boy who looked to be about seven.

At the same time, this was Rin Jack was talking to. Rin. Jacks dread and guilt over his loss suddenly transformed into something else. He wasn’t quite sure what yet, but it wasn’t weighing down his stomach anymore.

“Can you . . . are you going to . . . ?” Jack couldn’t finish his sentence. Apparently he was making enough hand gestures to get his question across, though.

“No, Frosty Junk, I still can’t kill you.” He actually seemed sad. Jack didn’t know whether the sadness was in relation to Rin’s inability to kill him or if Rin was sad that Jack even had to ask. It was most likely the former. Jack liked to think it was the latter. Rin looked down for a moment, folding his arms protectively against the chill Jack had brought with him. “Are you?”

Jack was genuinely upset that Rin would think that. “I wanted you to live, you idiot! I trusted you—!”

“You didn’t want to!”

“—and you almost killed me!”

“I saved your ass twice. You needed to remember that!”

“You think I could forget that?”

“Why couldn’t you just ask me?” Rin shouted. Jack was silenced then. “You could’ve just asked me if I wanted to change.”

“Jack knew that one of the things Rin had always wanted most was to be treated as a person. Not a Fearling. Not an extension of Jack. He had simply wanted to be . . . Rin. Suddenly, Jack realized how it must have sounded to Rin when Jack had asked Sera to remove him. Despite everything Rin had gotten Jack into, Rin had also done a lot to Jack out of trouble. Including but not limited to decapitating a few enemies.

“Rin, I’m sorry,” Jack said. The two made eye contact. “You’re right. I should’ve asked.”

Rin squinted, as if taking Jack’s apology into consideration. There was a long pause as Jack wondered what Rin was thinking, what he was planning. Then the boy glanced down at his hands, sighing heavily. “It couldn’t have been easy waking up covered in blood.”

Jack thought about it, then shook his head. “It wasn’t.”

“But you’re really not gonna . . . you’re not gonna kill me?”

“No! No, you numbskull,” Jack retorted. Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned down and hugged Rin. Rin stiffened in Jack’s embrace, and Jack suddenly recalled that he was hugging an individual with rows of sharp teeth. Sharp teeth he was perfectly willing to use. It wouldn’t be the first time Jack hugged a ‘shark,’ but this one might actually mean him harm if he bites.

Jack gasped when Rin hugged him back with a force he hadn’t thought the boy capable of. For a moment, Jack swore he heard the boy crying against his shoulder. It was soft, more out of relief than sorrow. The sound only made Jack tighten his hold. The two held each other fiercely for what seemed like a long while. Jack eventually realized just how touch-starved Rin must be, how alone he’d been since the battle against Pillan. It made Jack reluctant to let go. He forgot how dangerous Rin was. He forgot what he’d done to Jack. In that moment, Jack didn’t care about all those things. All he cared about was making Rin stop shaking from fear.

Fear of being left alone again. Jack knew that fear well.

Jack became increasingly aware of how thin Rin’s body was. Jack could wrap his arms around him twice. He was used to Pitch being able to do that to him, but Rin? Pitch could swallow Rin. He was afraid he may have broken something after hugging Rin so hard. Pulling back slightly, his gut wrenched at the sight of tears in Rin’s black and gold eyes. Rin wiped them away quickly, one hand still clinging to Jack’s arm. Jack asked, “Where did you get this body?”

“He was dying. I found him just as he was about to croak.”

“So . . . you’re a walking corpse?”

Rin narrowed his eyes again. “Not quite, but look who’s talking.”

“Point taken. Any way we can get you looking . . . I dunno, a little healthier looking?”

“No clue.”

Jack knew the answer. He knew who could help, who would know. “I need to get you home.”

Rin’s eyes widened. “This is usually where I make some creepy joke to make you uncomfortable, but I actually need to take a moment and tell you how dumb of an idea that is. _You_ may not want to kill me, but—.”

“I’ll handle him. This time, it’s my turn to protect you.”

Though Rin’s smile was incredibly unnerving, Jack was glad to see it. It meant he trusted him.


	2. Dark

Pitch should’ve known that Rin wouldn’t be that easy to get rid of. When Jack showed up with the Fearling at his back, the only thing stopping Pitch from nabbing the creature and tearing it apart was the person guarding it.

“It almost got you killed!” Pitch had screamed.

“He was fighting for survival!” Jack had defended.

To the creature’s credit, it had not intervened throughout the entirety of the fight. It had simply sat shaking in the shadows, watching. Its fear had only fueled Pitch’s fury with Jack for trusting it. How could Jack be so foolish?

“He won’t hurt us,” Jack had said.

“He CAN’T hurt us! He lives because we live! And he knows we’ll kill him if he even tries to—.”

“No, you’ll kill him. I won’t!”

Needless to say, Jack and Pitch weren’t speaking to each other at the moment. Rin didn’t leave the shadows, however. He stayed quiet and stayed out of Pitch’s way. Pitch supposed he felt that because Jack was on his side, Rin didn’t need to fear Pitch but so much. Pitch would be loath to admit that was the case. Just as Jack’s believers were protected from him, now the one Fearling he’d ever regretted creating was protected. Pitch had never been so tempted to shove the creature into one of the Guardians’ havens just to see how they reacted.

Fortunately, Pitch and Jack had stopped arguing before they got truly violent. Jack’s anger with him had gone from fueling his own rage to making him ill at a ridiculous rate. So ill that he found himself sitting on his throne and contemplating the situation. Of course, it didn’t take long for him to remember what had been happening the last time he’d sat on his throne. As if he needed the reminder.

Pinching his sinuses, he sensed movement to his right. “If you think you’re capable of sneaking through my lair, you’re a bigger fool than I took you for.”

Rin said nothing. He’d clearly talked Jack into believing him, so Pitch knew he was capable of speech. Pitch supposed Jack was right. Rin obviously knew that speaking to Pitch would be detrimental to his survival.

Pitch opened his eyes and saw Rin manifest beside him, sitting cross-legged on the cold stone. They stared at each other for a long time. For a moment, Pitch could imagine he was staring at a completely different entity. Rin had inhabited Jack long enough that it was odd seeing gold and black, shadow-infested eyes on the face of a child. At the same time, this meant he could harm the creature without hurting Jack. Directly, at least. He couldn’t understand how Jack had felt guilty for Rin’s ‘end’ before, and he definitely couldn’t understand it now that he was staring at the thing. The terror the Fearling could cause with that face alone was something only Pitch could appreciate, and he didn’t have much appreciation left for Rin.

Rin looked away first, staring down at his feet. The timing of his action was almost impeccable. Pitch had started thinking about the incident where Rin’s possession of Jack had actually saved their lives. Pitch started to steel himself against the memory. He didn’t want to sympathize with the creature. The he saw something in Rin’s face that automatically made Pitch feel . . . something for it. That face reminded him of the fears the Fearling possessed. Those fears had always hit close to home not only with Pitch, but with Jack as well. And suddenly, he knew why Jack had felt so guilty.

“You told me once that I wasn’t going to be alone anymore,” Rin whispered.

Pitch didn’t react as violently as he’d anticipated, but at the same time the voice Rin now had threw him off. “That was before you tried to rip one of the few people I would kill for out of my life.”

“I didn’t want to die. I just knew that I would,” the thing defended itself.

Pitch watched Rin, trying to find something, anything, that indicated he was lying. He didn’t even sense an inkling of fear of being discovered. The only fear he sensed was the creature’s fear of rejection. Pitch reluctantly recalled the nature of Rin’s creation. The promise Pitch had failed to keep. “Shit,” Pitch grumbled, realizing that he actually felt for the beast. Until he caught a glimpse of Rin’s shock at his outburst, that is. “You didn’t hear that.”

“Oh, didn’t I?” And there he was, the mischievous Fearling that had irritated Pitch to no end in the past.

“No, you didn’t,” Pitch argued, his brow creasing as he stared intently at Rin.

“What, is Jack upset that you cuss or something?”

“No. He’s keeping count of the number of times I curse,” Pitch found himself confessing.

Rin’s lips pulled back to reveal a nightmarish, sharp grin. “Teach me how to take care of this body, and I’ll keep your dirty words our dirty, little secret.”

“I’m going to regret saying yes,” Pitch growled, resting his head on his hand.

Rin perked up even more, looking creepier. Pitch hadn’t thought that possible. “But you’re agreeing to it?”

Pitch hesitated, noting the excitement in the creature as it stood up. His gaze narrowed on Rin, considering the consequences of this action. Pitch said, “First, rules.”

“I can do rules!” Rin said.

Why did Pitch not believe that? “You harm Jack or Sera in any way, I kill you. Simple enough?”

“What about the kangaroo? Can I hurt him?”

Pitch smirked at the thought, then rolled his eyes in remembrance. “Unfortunately, you harming the rabbit will cause the wrath of Seraphina to befall you, which then incurs my wrath. So no. You cannot harm the rabbit.”

“Damn.” Rin deflated somewhat.

“The same goes for the other Guardians. They are protected by proxy through Jack.”

Rin thought for a while. Finally he said, “I think I can live with that.” Then something struck him. “Do I at least get permission to defend myself against them?”

“You have permission to run for your miserable life and that’s it.”

It was Rin’s turn to narrow his eyes. “Are you trying to get me killed?”

“There is no trying on my part. If I’d truly wanted you dead, do you think you’d still be breathing?”

Rin didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. He already knew. Then he asked, “Any other rules?”

“You can stay here so long as you don’t disturb me or whosoever I choose to allow in my lair.”

“I’m not disturbing all the time. In fact, I’m quite charming!”

“Have you looked in the mirror lately? Your very appearance is disturbing.”

“Pot calling the kettle black, much?”

“Another rule,” Pitch interrupted, “Jack’s believers are strictly off limits. I will show you who you can strike fear into.”

“Are these the only rules?” Pitch nodded. “I’m not gonna complain. Too much.”

“Good. Now let’s find you decent clothing. You may be inhabiting a poor orphan, but if you keep dressing like one Jack will get upset.”

“Jack’s already upset with you.”

“Just let him think I’m trying to help you.”

“More than trying. Remember our deal?”

“How can I forget?”

“It would be a shame if Frosty Junk learned you the Nightmare Man’s wirty dords.”

“I’m not going to glorify that with a response.”


	3. Scared

The Guardians still didn’t know about Rin’s reemergence. Nor did Seraphina. Pitch thought that best for now. Rin was still so weak, it would be a miracle if he managed to escape an attack. He’d gained weight and started to appear healthy after a month with Pitch and Jack. Instead of shabby, dirty rags, Rin now wore a black t-shirt, drawstring jacket, and jeans. Like Jack he refused shoes, but Pitch suspected it was because of the talons on his toes rather than him just being used to going barefooted. If Rin stretched, one could still see his ribs. However, he was nowhere near as thin as he had been upon arrival. A diet of human fear had fixed that. Pitch was surprised at how quickly the thing had learned how to influence the dreams of humans. The Nightmare King supposed it could have been Fearling instinct. He also guessed that starvation could make anyone desperate. And Rin was starved for many things.

Jack and Pitch collaborated on helping Rin regain control over his abilities. Teleportation through shadows was the first thing he’d mastered. Actually manipulating shadows took more skill. Just as with dreams, though, he’d learned quickly. However, Pitch was sure most of this felt more like relearning for Rin. It was the ability to use ice Rin truly struggled with. Jack even loaned Rin his staff in an attempt to teach him to channel the flow of energy. It was moderately successful, but given that Jack needed his staff Rin couldn’t always practice with it. So Pitch pulled a metal rod from his bedframe for Rin to keep. It was long enough to be a walking stick for him, but Pitch suspected that as he aged, it would become more of a wand. Seeing as the body Rin was in wasn’t quite dead yet, he still had room to grow before the brainwaves of its previous owner ceased to function. By then, Rin would theoretically be in his late teens. Rin seemed much more compatible with the metal rod than the wooden crook, though. Eventually Rin was impressing Jack with his patterns of dark frost.

Pitch was surprised at how long he and Jack had been able to keep Rin’s existence a secret. That changed as soon as Rin came careening from the shadows and landed on one of the lair’s bridges one day. The rod clattered as it flew several feet from him, his gasps and cries of pain loud enough for Pitch and Jack to hear throughout the lair. Jack flew to him immediately, Pitch following by way of shadows shortly after.

“I did nothing! I swear!” the Fearling sobbed once they were at his side, lying on his stomach. He went to sit up, but screamed and stayed still. Jack paled (which amazed Pitch because he was already so white) at the sight of the arrow protruding from beside Rin’s shoulder blade.

The arrow was barbed. Pitch knew this without even seeing its head.

“What happened?” Jack asked as he and Pitch knelt beside the boy.

“She saw me and shot me. I swear I didn’t do anything! I was just trying to feed! I did nothing to—,” he was cut off by his own scream as Pitch and Jack grabbed his arms and pulled him into an upright, seated position. “Warning, please!”

“Sorry,” Jack said. “Was Bunny with her?”

“I don’t know,” Rin whimpered. Until now, he’d never seemed so pitiful. His prepubescent voice only made Jack seem more uncomfortable and disturbed by Rin’s injury.

“Go tell the Guardians,” Pitch told Jack.

“What?” he and Rin asked in unison.

“It’ll be better if they hear it from you,” Pitch explained. Jack stared hesitantly at Rin, whose eyes were filled with tears. Pitch began to smell his fear. “I’ll take care of him,” Pitch reassured. It made sense that Jack didn’t want to leave Rin. The two were much closer than Rin and Pitch. When Pitch was simply pleased that Rin had managed to go another day without killing anyone, Jack was always proud. It was as if Rin had become his son. Pitch was certain that only made this situation worse.

But Jack listened and flew from the lair, his fear leaving with him and no longer distracting the Boogeyman as he started to pull Rin’s jacket to the side. Rin’s whimpering worsened, and Pitch caught a glimpse of blood trickling from the corner of the Fearling’s mouth. Before Pitch could ask, he realized it was Rin’s own blood. He was gritting his teeth so hard that his fangs were digging into his gums. Pitch reached into the shadows, grasping for one of the many things he’d kept well hidden (an extra precaution with Rin around). When he found what he was looking for, he held it out to Rin. To Rin, it likely looked like a rubber bar.

“What—?”

Pitch cut him off, “To stop you damaging your gums. You’re already facing one injury. Don’t create another.”

“Is that a gag?”

“Shut up and open your mouth—.”

“That’s a bit contradictory—.”

“You’ll need it when I remove the arrow,” Pitch reasoned. At least Rin was cracking jokes. While annoying, it meant he wasn’t poisoned. Sera’s herbs were fast-acting. If she’d poisoned him, he’d be in a lot more pain than he was currently in.

Rin reluctantly opened his mouth, allowing Pitch to place the gag between the sharp rows of teeth. He could see the lesions Rin had created in his gums. No doubt, the Fearling would leave holes in the rubber as Pitch removed the arrow.

Pulling Rin’s jacket to the side once more, he was slightly relieved to find the arrow protruding through the boy’s shoulder. An exit wound made the removal easier, especially given the fashion of the arrowhead. Pitch used his claws and tore the boy’s blood-soaked shirt so he could properly grasp the arrow. “Hey!” Rin said past the gag, the exclamation muffled.

“I doubt a black shirt is irreplaceable,” Pitch muttered as he placed both hands on the backside of the arrow. “This will hurt.” Pitch fought to break the feathered end off without making Rin lose more blood. He was successful, but Rin was screaming past the gag by the time Pitch had done it. Gripping the front end of the arrow and the boy’s shoulder, Pitch felt the boy flinch. Tears were streaming down the Fearling’s face in rivers. “Don’t brace. It’ll make it worse.”

“I can’t help it,” Rin managed past the gag. And the sobs. He was more muffled by his sobs than the gag.

Pitch had to distract him from the pain somehow. If this were Jack, he’d simply bite him. He didn’t think that would really work with Rin at the moment. He couldn’t reasonably use his influence on Rin either. Rin would struggle more and further injure himself. “Rin, listen to me.” He didn’t speak again until the boy’s eyes were on him. If he had normal eyes, Pitch was sure he’d be able to see the blood vessels swelling in them. “Do you remember that torture device you found when you went snooping through the lair? All those months ago?” Rin nodded as Pitch began realizing that it had been a year since that had happened. It hadn’t felt like a year. Refocusing, he said, “It wasn’t meant for the eye. It was a lobotomy needle.”

That actually made the tension in Rin’s shoulder loosen. “I was close!” he defended himself. “I knew it was somewhere near the eye!”

Pitch actually smirked at how he understood Rin’s sentences even through the gag. “Well, it does more damage than that. Can you fathom the number of minds I’ve destroyed with that needle?”

“Just a needle? What the hell do you need sand for when you could use a—?” He’d relaxed just enough for Pitch to pull the arrow free of Rin’s shoulder. The boy screamed one last time, a hand lurching forth and balling into Pitch’s robe.

“Hard part’s over,” Pitch murmured.

“You fucking prick!” Rin whined as he clutched his shoulder. Without an arrow sticking through it, he could now easily staunch the bleeding. If only Jack were here to freeze the wounds, Pitch thought. But Jack was handling more important matters.

“Your healing will depend on you keeping still. Do you think you can manage that?”

The Fearling struggled to remove the gag, which had subsequently gotten lodged in his teeth. Once he’d handed the hole-riddled rubber back to Pitch, he said, “I’ll manage.”

Pitch tossed the gag into the shadows before staring down at the arrow. A thought occurred to him as he studied the barb. He ran his fingers over the head, finding something more than blood. It wasn’t poison, so what was it?

Pitch’s eyes widened as he dropped the arrow. Of course. Seraphina never did anything without reason, and she never missed a target. She was tracking Rin. How long before—?

“Of all the places, I never expected to find the Fearling here with you,” came the voice of his daughter.

Pitch took a stance between her and Rin, who’d frozen in fear at her emergence. He audibly whimpered, Pitch tasting every anxiety the Fearling felt as he gazed at his daughter. “The Guardians—.”

“They already know. Bunny told them.”

So he had been with her. The thought of the rabbit almost made him forget the taste of Rin’s fear. He managed to conceal his fury, though. “Jack is there as well, explaining the situation.”

“And what, pray tell, is the situation?” Sera folded her arms and stepped closer to her father. Pitch felt Rin shaking as the boy clung to the bottom of his robe. Her fury and Rin’s fear were competing for power in Pitch’s senses.

It was annoying him. “Jack and I are helping him survive.”

“Sera’s eyebrow quirked. “What exactly are the baby Guardian’s thoughts on this?”

“He convinced me to allow it. Rin is here because of Jack.”

“But Rin is thriving because of you. You had to teach him how to feed on fear.”

Pitch nodded. “He is under my roof. He is protected so long as he doesn’t harm my other charges, including you.” Pitch glanced down at Rin. The boy stared up at him with pleading eyes. Fearful, tearful eyes. Pitch recognized the expression. Rin didn’t need to speak to tell Pitch what he was thinking. He thought Pitch would let her finish what she’d started. There was only one way to determine that. Turning back to Sera, Pitch asked, “Did he harm you? Or your . . . rabbit?” He almost choked on the word as he struggled not to think of her relationship with him.

“No,” she answered. “But I was under the impression that since the Fearling had tried to kill your Guardian he was fair game.” She stepped closer to him, leaning in and speaking quietly, “That locket around his neck doesn’t make you his only protector.”

Pitch stood straighter, realizing that Sera had seen what he’d given Jack. He waited to see more of her reaction, but none came. Rin clung closer still, and the Nightmare King was beginning to feel blood soaking into his clothes. Clearing his throat, he declared, “Rin is not a prey animal. He is Jack’s charge. Jack’s charges are my charges, and that settles that.” Turning to Rin, he said, “Go rest in my bed. Heal.”

Rin nodded, then disappeared into shadows without hesitation. Sera and Pitch stared at each other long and hard. It was Sera’s eyes who softened first. “Does Jack realize what he’s getting himself into, taking responsibility of a Fearling?”

Pitch sighed. “I have explained it, but I’m not sure if he . . .,” he trailed off. Of course Jack knew the dangers. He lived them. He survived. With that in mind, Pitch said, “He knows.” A moment of silence passed between them as tension loosened and Sera’s look of concern dissipated. Then Pitch’s brow furrowed. He asked, “Do you approve?”

“Of Rin? I guess it’s no longer my place to. Until he betrays you again, that is.”

“No. The locket. Do you approve?”

Sera stared at him for a moment before her lips quirked slightly. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m happy for you.” Then a mischievous look passed over her as she touched the aster behind her ear. “Gives you no right to complain about this.”

Pitch rolled his eyes. “If you insist.”

“Just,” she paused, clenching her fists and glaring down at the stone. With an intense look, she continued, “Just don’t let that thing hurt you.”

Pitch’s lips twitched at her show of emotion. For her to say something that caring was monumental. As he nodded, he found himself placing a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. She touched it, acknowledging its presence and intent. For them, that was the equivalent of embracing one another.

As long as Rin behaved, he was safe from Sera’s rage. The Guardians were still in question, however.


	4. But Not Alone

Every time the Guardians discovered something about Jack, it seemed he got punched somewhere. This time, Tooth had landed one hell of a blow to his chest. He had severely underestimated her strength, and hoped he would be capable of hiding the bruise from Pitch. While it wasn’t on his face, that didn’t mean it would be any easier to conceal from the Boogeyman. He was glad Bunny had kept his temper, though. Pitch didn’t need any more reason to kill him.

Before he’d left, though, he’d ensured Rin’s safety. That’s all that mattered at the moment. Now he just wanted to get back to the lair and rest. Arguments such as these tended to tire him. He slept more now than he had in all three hundred of his years alone. Being a peace offering was exhausting.

Great. Once again, he was using Pitch’s terminology for their relationship.

When he entered the lair, he was greeted by the sight of the Nightmare King sitting on the edge of their bed, rubbing circles over the lower back of a shivering, still teary-eyed Fearling cradling one of the pillows and lying on his side. The scene was so odd to Jack. The Guardian thought it completely uncharacteristic of the Nightmare King to be comforting Rin. Jack stared for a while, trying to read the expression on Pitch’s face. Before he got a proper look at it, Pitch looked at him.

“We staunched the bleeding for now. Care to use your method of numbing?” Pitch asked. Only he was asking Jack to do this so flatly that it sounded more like he was asking Jack to hand him a plate or cup or something. He was entirely too nonchalant for someone who was taking the time to soothe someone Jack was convinced he barely tolerated.

“Uh . . . sure,” Jack answered after a pause. Walking over to the bed, he sat down beside Pitch. Staring down at Rin, his chest ached for the boy. “How you feeling, man?”

“Like a pin cushion getting glared at by a pair of oversized fucking mattress needles,” Rin answered.

Jack had never seen Rin in so much pain. Then again, the worst pain Rin had ever endured had been mental or emotional. He’d never been physically injured. This was one experience they hadn’t prepared Rin for. He asked, “Pitch wouldn’t happen to be one of those mattress needles, would he?”

“He won’t let me move even an inch,” Rin whined. Jack smiled as he glanced at the Nightmare King. Pitch was failing at hiding the quirk of his lip from Jack.

Pitch managed to straighten his expression shortly before saying, “Sera tracked him here. I told her he was one of us. She seemed to understand.”

“Same with the Guardians. Mostly.” He thought of the bruise on his chest. Then he turned to Rin. “Want an icepack of sorts?”

“You bet your perfect, frosty ass I do.” Jack actually chuckled as he traced the edges of Rin’s exit wound. Ice frosted over the front of his shoulder. The Fearling hissed before he sighed in relief. Jack performed the same procedure on the entry wound, garnering a similar reaction. “One day, I fully intend to pay you back for this.”

“I don’t think I wanna know how, knowing you,” Jack uttered. He was glad to see a smile on Rin’s face. Eventually, he’d have to get used to its spookiness. “You should probably sleep.”

Rin snorted. “If I could.”

“You can’t sleep?” Jack asked. That was news to him. Even Pitch could sleep. How could Rin not sleep?

Rin said, “I’ve spent enough time swimming around in people’s heads that I know what it’s like to be in a constant state of rest. Being lucid, I don’t want to remember what that’s like.” He adjusted his hold on the pillow, keeping his injured shoulder still as he did so. “Plus, the Nightmares would have a field day with me.”

“I hear you there,” Jack said. “Well, I’m gonna have to join you in bed—.”

“Oh baby!”

Jack ignored Rin’s interruption and continued, “Negotiation really isn’t my forte, and I had to do a lot of negotiating today.”

“Thank you,” Rin murmured.

Jack smiled, ruffling the kid’s tussled, black hair before climbing into place. He moved steadily, trying not to disturb Rin. When he was finally lying down, he sighed and closed his eyes. It didn’t take long for him to drift off.



“He’s favoring the left side of his chest,” Rin whispered to Pitch as soon as he was sure Jack was asleep.

“What are you talking about, now?” Pitch asked, leaning against the headboard to keep watch over the two.

“You didn’t notice? Sheesh, aren’t you supposed to be up his ass all the time?”

“Your word choice is flawless,” Pitch grumbled.

“Bet you he got beat up.”

“I’d think by now they’d know—,” Pitch stopped talking as Rin reached up and pulled Jack’s shirt collar to the side, revealing a purple and blue bruise. Pitch glared at the formation, feeling his teeth begin to grind as his anger made the shadows writhe up the walls. “The bloody rabbit . . . .”

“No, too small for him.”

The twit. She would react as such, but he’d honestly thought they’d figured out that hurting his Jack was enough to make the Nightmare King want to . . . .

He forcibly calmed himself. This is exactly why Jack had hidden the bruise from him. He’d known how Pitch would react. Looking at the resting Rin, he uttered, “It would probably be best if you shared those observations with Jack before you mention them to me. You almost got someone killed just now.”

“Murder is nice. I like murder.”

“Jack does not.” Pitch reached over and ran his fingers through the winter spirit’s white hair. He smiled as Jack nuzzled his hand in his sleep. If Pitch told Jack that he did this, the Guardian would blush and deny it. Pitch’s grin widened at the thought of Jack’s blush. Another thing the winter spirit denied ever happened.

“You two are so grossly cute I’m gonna vomit,” Rin snarked.

“Not on this bed, you’re not,” Pitch warned, his smile fading.

“Bet you I can take him from you once I’m grown up.”

Pitch glared down at the Fearling then. “That is not a challenge you want to engage me in.”

“Oh lighten up, Nightmare Man. It’s obvious the two of you are—.”

“Shut. Up.”

“I’m just saying you’ve got nothing to worry about. For now.” Rin flashed a sharp grin at the Boogeyman.

Pitch stretched out so that he was lying between Jack and the Fearling, concealing Jack from Rin’s view. “You had better be joking.”

“You should feel fortunate that I’m no longer inside his brain. I’d spend more time enjoying myself than pestering you. Who knew he was so damn sexy—?”

“I’ve heard quite enough out of you,” Pitch waved a hand and Rin was gagged by shadows. Rin growled at him. Pitch smirked and said, “Now that’s what I call music to my ears. Sweet silence.” Rin’s snarls and curses grew louder, but were muffled by the gag. Pitch actually laughed, then glanced down at Jack. The winter spirit was still sound asleep, which amazed Pitch. Looking back at Rin, who was now only glowering at Pitch, he said, “Don’t look so petulant. I’m sure you’ll get back at me somehow.”

Rin’s eyes narrowed before he smiled against the shadows. Despite the gag, the Boogeyman clearly heard Rin say, “Challenge accepted.”

Pitch should be concerned about the patches of ice that would inevitably appear on his bridges for the first time in a year. Instead, he smirked and responded with, “Looking forward to it.”

The Guardian of Fun would be piecing the two of them back together by the end of next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's Rin's return! The little shit is back and thriving. He, Sera, and a soon to be introduced character have their own blog (ask-boogies-kids.tumblr.com), so you can now pester them there! You can still speak to me and the Guardians plus Pitch on twofacedpsycho.tumblr.com. I am still and always will take requests. Still working on a few now.
> 
> Hope you like having the little guy alive again. He's gonna kick my ass into oblivion. :P

**Author's Note:**

> Four part return. Will post other chapters sometime today because they're all handwritten. Good job Alex. There's a little something for everyone here :)


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